Ukraine's new long-range missile brings Kremlin into its sights

Ukraine has developed an advanced missile capable of hitting Moscow, with the potential for a major impact in its war against Russia.

With a range of more than 500km, the Hrim-2 missile can deliver a payload of 500kg with considerable accuracy, experts said.

The development means that Ukraine will now be able to fire missiles deep into Russia without requiring permission from the US or other allies to use their weapons such as the Storm Shadow cruise missile. The missile was developed under a long-term $300 million project, which also received $40 million in research and development funding from Saudi Arabia. The project was advanced rapidly after Russia’s invasion in 2022.

Yehor Chernev, chairman of Ukraine’s delegation to Nato, said that after 10 years of development, it was now ready for action.

“Believe me, there will soon be concrete results that not only Ukraine but also the Russian Federation will see,” he said.

Defence experts have told The National that this represents a considerable threat to Russian President Vladimir Putin if KB Pivdenne, the missile maker in Dnipro, in eastern Ukraine, can build a big stockpile.

“They haven't had this capability before and if they can hit Moscow that's a big jump in fighting abilities but only if they can operate the Hrim-2 at scale,” said military analyst Tim Ripley. “If they're going to have a decisive effect, they've got to build loads of them and then they have to withstand the Russian electronic warfare countermeasures.”

Evasive capabilities

But evasive capabilities are a crucial feature of the Hrim-2, with a ballistic flight path that could allow it to avoid Russia’s advanced S-300 and S-400 defence systems.

With Ukraine targeting up to seven Russian radar systems in recent drone attacks, potentially blinding its defences, the first Hrim-2 barrage of Russia could come soon.

Despite Russian attacks on its factories, Ukraine's first successful test firing was in August, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed, with unverified reports suggesting the missile had been developed with a maximum range of 700km.

A Ukrainian security source said the Hrim-2’s “deep strike capability” in conjunction with long-range drones would allow Kyiv to “confront Russian air defences with a bewildering multilayered tapestry of airborne attack deep within Russia itself”.

Targeting Putin

With the centre of Moscow less than 450km away from the nearest Ukrainian territory, commanders are understood to be considering a strike on the Russian capital, potentially in retaliation for a winter offensive on Kyiv.

Ukraine might now have the capability to target Mr Putin himself as well as the chance to “throttle” Russian industry and its economy, said defence analyst David Axe.

“Russian President Vladimir Putin might even face the prospect of strikes aimed at him personally, in retaliation for Russia’s many attempts to eliminate Zelenskyy,” he wrote in The Sunday Telegraph.

“But these attacks, while empowering for the Ukrainians and embarrassing for the Russians, won’t turn the tide of the war,” he said.

Although its precise guidance systems remain unknown, the Hrim-2 will probably face significant challenges from Russia’s air defence system, which is particularly strong around the capital.

But most importantly the missile will allow Ukraine to strike critical sites in Russia, from airfields to command centres, oil refineries and military-industrial areas, without having to seek the permission of western countries. The US, Britain and France have all provided Ukraine with precision strike weapons such as the Storm Shadow and ATACMS systems but have refused permission for them to be fired into Russian territory.

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